Around The World

Sunday

A mob armed with clubs, stones and guns attacked a political rally in southern Mexico on Saturday, sparking hours of clashes that left three people dead and six more wounded.

Municipal police officer Mario Lopez said the attack in the town of Nachig, in Chiapas state, happened during a morning campaign event for Domingo Perez, a mayoral candidate representing the Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD, in Aug. 4 elections.

Hundreds of people armed with clubs and stones attacked the rally. Lopez said some pulled out weapons and fired on people gathered in a town park.

The violence lasted several hours and left a toll of three dead and six wounded - two seriously, according to local prosecutors. Some 15 homes and 20 cars were burned.

MEXICO CITY

An official says nine people were killed when gunmen opened fire in a drug rehabilitation center in the Mexican state of Durango.

State Deputy Attorney General Ramiro Ortiz said among the dead is the center's owner, who appeared to be the main target. Nine others were injured in Saturday's attack in the city of Gomez Palacio.

Ortiz said the nine bodies were found in different parts of the center, including the patio, gymnasium and dorms. The center had 49 patients.

Two weeks ago, gunmen killed 19 people in a drug rehab center in Chihuahua city.

BANGKOK

Thirty-nine passengers were injured and two were missing after two boats carrying Thai and foreign tourists to a popular island beach party collided in the Gulf of Thailand, a news report said today.

The boats were ferrying tourists to Pha-ngan island to attend a "full moon" party, a monthly event that attracts thousands of young, mostly Western tourists.

The boats collided and overturned before midnight Saturday, throwing passengers into the sea just off the island, the website of The Nation newspaper said. Two were reported missing and two other passengers suffered serious head injuries.

The 39 injured were rushed to hospitals in Surat Thani province.

BRIEFLY ...

l TORONTO - Another White House state dinner is in the works. Chinese President Hu Jintao has accepted President Barack Obama's invitation to visit the U.S. on a formal state visit. Obama officials said Saturday after the two leaders met in Toronto that the countries will work out a mutually acceptable date for the visit.

l VILNIUS, Lithuania - Lithuania's first post-independence president, Algirdas Brazauskas, died at his home Saturday, his wife said. He was 77. Brazauskas had been receiving treatment since the beginning of the year for prostate cancer and lymphoma, Kristina Brazauskiene said.

Compiled from wire reports

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